By Leonard Kamugisha Akida and Brendah Atukunda,
MITOOMA
The state minister for works and transport Musa Ecweru has pledged to restore the beauty of River Ncwera in Mitooma District.
Ecweru was on Friday in Mitooma District to assess the status of roads in the area following concerns raised by the deputy speaker of parliament Rt Hon. Thomas Tayebwa on the impassable state of roads in his Ruhinda North Constituency.
During the visit, the minister said he will do a swift action on the river which was recently washed away by floods.
“We will start discussions at the top level management in the ministry to ensure this bridge is worked on,” he said.
River Ncwera connects the two counties of Ruhinda North represented by deputy speaker Tayebwa and Ruhinda County represented by the minister for internal affairs Maj Gen. Kahinda Otafiire.
The bridge further provides access to the road connecting Kizinda-Nyabubare-Rutookye-Kisizi-Rwempungu-Kati-Chapa (Omukyapa), which the minister also assessed.
According to residents, the wash away of the bridge has hindered both the movements of people and their goods in the district and other neighbouring districts.
“Its true that the bridge has been washed away, I first saw it in the pictures but now, I believe. My technical team came and did a preliminary assessment on the critical nature of the bridge; we must go and look at it critically then treat it with a priority,” minister Ecweru explained.
He further assessed the state of roads in Bushenyi district which he said promotes tourism for instance the road that connects to the rift valley escarpment of Queen Elizabeth National Park.
He noted that the assessment report on these roads will be compiled by the ministry’s technical team which he travelled with and a quick action done.
Minister Ecweru was flanked by the MPs from Mitooma District and the District Chairperson Benon Karyeija alias Boneza and a team of engineers from the ministry of works and transport.
Speaking to reports shortly after the assessment, Hon. Tayebwa who raised the matter of concern on the situation of the roads in Mitooma on the floor of parliament on May 11th, gave assurances to the people of Mitooma and Bushenyi that a swift action will be taken on the road connecting Mitooma to Bushenyi through Rutookye and Kizinda.
“With this swift action by the Minister, I can assure the people of Bushenyi and Mitooma that Kizinda-Rutookye-Kisizi-Bitereko- Omukyapa road will be worked on to ease transportation of farm produce,” said deputy speaker Tayebwa.
He further hailed fellow legislators from the district including Hon. Dononzio Kahonda, MP Ruhinda South county, Hon. Juliet Agasha Bashiisha, District Woman MP and the district LC5 Chairman for heeding to his call on the state of roads in the district.
